My Mexican Kitchen in San Miguel de Allende

Calypso over at the blog Viva Veracruz and Viva Puerto Escondido has challenged all fellow bloggers to show their kitchens.

It started when he showed his computer working area - a scene out of a sci-fi movie!  I, on the other hand, have a tiny round table next to my bed and the wall of windows where I perch to write.

Then he wanted to know about laundry facilities and showed his while the rest showed theirs.  I have no laundry facilities as I send mine out.  YES, I'm spoiled.

Now, Calypso has shown us TWO of his kitchens in two of the four houses he owns.  I'm envious that he has four houses in beautiful, off the beaten track, places!  Lucky he and his lovely wife Anita.

So, here is my less then adequate kitchen

It definitely didn't look like this when I moved in.  There was no ox yoke to hang my good pans for easy access.  There was no upper shelf for storing dishes and glassware.  There were the curtains across the area below the counter. 

Having the red box made and hung for everyday dishes and glassware has made life so much easier.
Appliance wise I have a six burner stove, a microwave, of course a coffee pot, a juicer and then stored behind the curtains a Mixmaster, a blender and a crockpot.

In the photo above is my oven.  Yup, a toaster oven.  I'm limited on the size of casseroles or whatever I'm cooking but I've adapted to the fact that I don't have a large oven.  It has taken years for me to adapt to that circumstance.

I've also gotten many microwave cookbooks and was amazed at all of the things I could actually make in that machine!  Same thing with the crock pot.  Cooking, for me, sometimes is an adventure, especially when I'm having a dinner party.  It requires much time for preparation.

When I moved in the previous tenants had only apple crates behind the curtains.  It didn't work for me so off to Walmart in Queretaro I went and stocked up on these plastic four drawer cabinets.  They work, barely.

Everything is behind the curtains.  My tool box, which is very important here. Another one of the plastic cabinets has building materials, lightbulbs, duct tape and all kinds of things to keep on hand for those projects that pop up.
My gas cylinders are outside which makes me happy as I'm scared to death of gas and explosions.  My water heater is outside as well.

Looking away from the kitchen, across the counter that holds the microwave and toaster oven is the dining room which serves as that as well as additional seating when company comes.

The kitchen probably wouldn't be what others would have but I wanted my kitchen to be fun since it is the space you see as you enter the house.

Good meals DO come from this space - believe it or not!  Well, that's what my guests say....